256 The zoologist. 



Lamprocolius phcenicopterus (Swainson), Red-shouldered Glossy 

 Starling. — This is the Jidda phcenicopterus of Layard's first edition. 

 It was observed at Blaauw Krantz in November, by Butler and 

 Reid, and found common at Cainperdown in December. Im- 

 mature birds have the iris brown, and but slight traces of the 

 magnificent purple gloss of the adult (R). 



Spreo bicolor (Gm.), Brown and White Glossy Starling. — A 

 very familiar bird in the upper portions of the colony, remaining 

 in flocks even after the breeding season has commenced. Nests 

 in numbers in the Incandu River, at Newcastle, also in crevices in 

 the rocks among the hills. Materials similar to those used by 

 our common European Starling. Eggs four to six, light blue, 

 sometimes spotted with red. Reid took two nests near Lady- 

 smith from the inner walls of a deserted farm-house, one con- 

 taining five pure blue eggs, the other six red-spotted ones. This 

 was on the 18th November. It is sometimes seen on the backs 

 of the oxen, which it diligently attends when they are grazing. 

 It has a soft note, " pwipe," " pwipe," when disturbed. 



Amydrus mono (Linn.), Cape Glossy Starling. — Common 

 in flocks in rocky places, especially in the Newcastle district, 

 scattering in pairs for the breeding season, in October. Butler 

 gives the following account of its nidification : — " Found a nest 

 nearly finished, on the 6th November, 1881. It was placed on a 

 ledge of rock under a projecting slab of rock overhanging a 

 stream, about 3 ft. above the level of the water, and consisted of 

 a large mass of dry grass, matted together with mud, and lined 

 with the same kind of grass, looking not unlike a large Black- 

 bird's nest ; the old birds were by no means shy, flying to and 

 fro with building materials in their beaks in my presence. Unfor- 

 tunately I had to leave the district before the eggs were laid. A 

 few bits of green moss, collected from the neighbouring wet rocks, 

 were stuck round the edge of the nest, and seemed to be growing, 

 and there was a large colony of Petrochelidon spilodera breeding 

 about 4 ft. above the nest. The note is loud and striking." 



Dilophus caruneidatus (Gm.), Wattled Starling.— One obtained 

 by Lieut. Giffard near Newcastle in December. 



Amblyospiza albifrons (Vig.), White-fronted Grosbeak. — One 

 shot in the bush on Sydenham Road, near Durban, on the 12th 

 August (R). 



Hyphantornu capensis (Gm.), Cape Weaver Bird. — Not often 



